Four States Now Require Schools to Teach LGBT History

Starting next school year, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history will be part of the curriculum in Illinois public schools.

Democratic Governor J. B. Pritzker signed House Bill 246 into law Aug. 9, making Illinois the fourth state to mandate teaching LGBT history, after California, New Jersey, and Colorado. The Illinois legislation takes effect in July 2020.

The law mandates that history classes in public schools "include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State." Any textbooks bought with state funding must cover "the roles and contributions" of LGBT people, and can't include content that is discriminatory to any particular gender or sexual orientation.

Nationwide, LGBT history often doesn't make it into the curriculum. Just under a quarter of students say that they have learned about LGBT-related topics in their classes, according to 2016 research from GLSEN, a national advocacy group for LGBTQ students.

Recently, though, some states have moved in the opposite direction. In April, Arizona repealed a law that banned teachers from delivering any instruction that "promotes a homosexual lifestyle." New Jersey and Colorado's laws, requiring schools to teach LGBT history, were both passed this year. In June, The 74 wrote that "the tide is turning" when it comes to LGBT-inclusive curriculum.

Still, these laws have seen some pushback. The mayor of Barnegat, N.J., Alfonso Cirulli, criticized the state's new legislation at a township committee meeting last week. "The government has no right to teach our kids morality," Cirulli, a former assistant principal, said, according to the local Ashbury Park Press.

Implementation Questions

While the new Illinois law mandates the teaching of LGBT-inclusive content, it doesn't specify exactly what that content should be.

In this respect, the state isn't alone. Though California passed its law mandating LGBT history in 2012, the state's education department didn't create standards for the subject until 2016. My colleague Stephen Sawchuk covered the state's slow implementation process in 2017, as history and social studies teachers were still trying to figure out how to integrate the new topics into their classes.

Similar challenges may be on the horizon for districts in the states that passed legislation this year.

New Jersey's law leaves it up to individual schools and districts to decide what to teach, and how. School boards will individually update their social studies standards in advance of the 2020-21 school year, when the law takes effect, the North Jersey Record reported.

Illinois' schools and districts will also implement the law locally, said Jackie Matthews, a spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of Education, in an emailed statement.

"ISBE does not endorse certain textbooks or curricular programs over others," she said. "However, ISBE will work with partners to ensure that curricular and content resources are available and that public schools and districts have an opportunity to review and search curricula that best meets their needs."

In the Prairie State, LGBT rights organization Equality Illinois suggested potential topics of focus in a past statement. The group, which supported the bill, named social worker Jane Addams and civil rights activist Bayard Rustin as famous LGBT Illinoisans and noted that the nation's first gay rights organization was founded in Chicago.

But seriously, who gives a fuck!? What you’re fucking, male or female, has almost zero bearing on the course of history.

I will never understand why instead of just being part of who they are, their sexuality is the defining trait of these peoples existence.

With regard to civil rights, it matters. Though like you said a short excerpt.

with regard to say, a science break through...not relevant

All this.

Teach the applicable history of civil rights and move on.

Same with religion. Teach em what the religions are and move on.

Should be no more than a day's worth of material.

8/14/19 12:45 AM

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BZtown10

Joined:Member Since: 7/13/17Posts: 4089

Civil rights? These fucking weirdos will do anything to normalize pedophilia

8/14/19 1:02 AM

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HernanCortes

Joined:Member Since: 2/22/11Posts: 19385

Sam Ortiz -

That's fucking gay

Hah, gayyyyyy

8/14/19 1:11 AM

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WendyIDMT

Joined:Member Since: 2/22/13Posts: 2786

Stop sexually indoctrinating kids.

8/14/19 1:13 AM

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Wayne Glamcock

Joined:Member Since: 4/6/19Posts: 1669

Res ipsa loquitar -

LETS GET ANGRY!

RAWR!

(oldschool omegle post)

8/14/19 1:23 AM

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Dutchemperor86

Joined:Member Since: 5/19/17Posts: 254

This is what i hate about the lgbt movement. They keep forcing themselves down peoples throats. No need to teach kids this kind of stuff. Just the basics. That some people are attracted to people of the same gender. And that they are just a part of society. Put too much attention on it and these kids will think it's something like a handicap.

8/14/19 4:49 PM

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HotSteppa

Joined:Member Since: 3/15/15Posts: 12029

What is wrong with learning about contributions of gays throughout history? Many faced horrible oppression or suffered in silence.From musicians, actors, scientists, philosophers, sports, there have been many that contributed. I have no problem with it.

8/14/19 4:51 PM

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Jack Carter

Joined:Member Since: 1/25/04Posts: 129118

LOL

8/14/19 5:20 PM

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100kgkilla

Joined:Member Since: 6/7/08Posts: 13902

8/14/19 5:33 PM

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sewich

Joined:Member Since: 7/13/09Posts: 22180

So are they going to reach in biology that there's no difference between makes and females and you can just pick and choose what you are?

8/14/19 5:39 PM

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In Limbo

Joined:Member Since: 11/17/10Posts: 49456

will they heavily edit and censor out the fact that the "stonewall Inn" was not just an innocent haven for gays to "dance" ....it was a breeding ground for health code violations and STDs

8/14/19 5:43 PM

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TheRoguewrestler

Joined:Member Since: 10/4/18Posts: 2278

nope nope nope!! I'll pull my kids out of a fucken school that forces that shit on kids.

8/14/19 5:45 PM

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TheRoguewrestler

Joined:Member Since: 10/4/18Posts: 2279

HotSteppa - What is wrong with learning about contributions of gays throughout history? Many faced horrible oppression or suffered in silence.From musicians, actors, scientists, philosophers, sports, there have been many that contributed. I have no problem with it.

The only difference between a homo and a hetro is their preferred sexual partners. Who the fuck cares what their contributions were? Shall we also teach the contributions of people who write left handed? Or for people with poor vision? Maybe we have a parade for people with long hair...… fucken stupid shit.

8/14/19 5:52 PM

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tajmills

Joined:Member Since: 6/18/19Posts: 204

Thank GOD I had my kids have graduated..

8/14/19 6:30 PM

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Beninger

Joined:Member Since: 4/3/08Posts: 6921

HotSteppa - What is wrong with learning about contributions of gays throughout history? Many faced horrible oppression or suffered in silence.From musicians, actors, scientists, philosophers, sports, there have been many that contributed. I have no problem with it.

We can start with current events and Islam.

8/14/19 6:52 PM

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kungfugrip

Joined:Member Since: 1/1/01Posts: 14547

Are they going to have PE teacher teach gay sex Ed?

8/14/19 7:08 PM

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bakobell

Joined:Member Since: 10/2/12Posts: 11045

Gay history: they suck dick and put it in each others ass.

Lesbian history: they scissor

bi history: they suck dick get fucked in the ass and occasionally wipe shit of their dick and bang women.

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